Electrician Drilled possible AIB

[RCr]

Some months ago an electrician drilled through our understairs cupboard wall to route a cable outside. So far so good.

Yesterday whilst looking in the cupboard, I shone my torch on the cable hole and noticed that the hole has a couple of strands poking backwards where the hole broke out. This, and the lack of paper breakout round the hole makes me suspect it is AIB. There is also white dust below the hole. I'm going to get a sample taken and tested.

The bad bit is we keep the hoover there, so I guess it will have spread any dust round the house. Presumably if the sample returns positive I am going to need a full cleanup of the house?

The suspected AIB was painted so there were no tell tale signs before it was drilled; I had no suspicions until now

No pictures I'm afraid, I had only poked my head in and got it out as soon as I saw what had happened.

 

[mrrusty]

Clean it up, empty the hoover, pop a bit of sealant round the hole and get on with your life. The amount of asbestos that could possibly have been released is miniscule. Yes, in quantity it could be dangerous, but that potential amount is not worth worrying about. We all go in and out of old buildings, on the underground, https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/transp.../foi-request-detail?referenceId=FOI-2244-1718 walk past skips and waste areas. Do you not think that occasionally we encounter airborne asbestos? You'd have to live in a hermetically sealed box to completely avoid it.

Years ago I regularly surveyed undercrofts and service areas in old hospitals. They had supposedly been cleared, but later re-testing to a higher standard revealed traces and these areas were shut off. I also worked on ships built in the 50's and 60's and I'm sure they would have had asbestos in. For a while, back in the early 80's I had a gutter replacement company, We stacked the removed asbestos and cast iron guttering in the industrial unit until we had enough to put it in the van and do a tip run. Back then neither we or the municipal tips were that precious! I'm still here at nearly 66. I am rightly cautious about encountering and handling asbestos containing materials, but not paranoid because to some degree, it's everywhere.

 

[RCr]

I appreciate we are exposed to low levels of asbestos all the time, but I'd have thought that fibre release from power drilling a 20mm dia hole would not be miniscule. Add in that the hall is carpeted and that a normal hoover filter will let asbestos fibres through, I think this a bigger cause for concern than say just screwing into some old artex!

 

[RCr]

One company I spoke to suggested carrying out air tests if the sample is positive, does anyone have any opinions on these? Obviously it will pick up fibres in the air but it does leave potential for dust in the carpets not to be picked up.

 

[Koolpc]

Blimey, for goodness sake, just get on with your life!!

mrrusty is correct. Just do what he suggests. Too tiny to worry about what you want to do.

We are breathing in carp every day! Things we prob dont even know about.

Your situation is so miniscule thats it just not worth going to the lengths thay you are talking about.

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

Agreed, people who contract, or used to contract asbestosis have had sustained exposed to it for years, working in the industry, this is really nothing to be getting your knickers in a twist about.

 

[hllns]

Unless you used the hoover to vacuum up fibres in the cupboard I'd not be too concerned

 

[RCr]

Unless you used the hoover to vacuum up fibres in the cupboard I'd not be too concerned

No, just used it round the house. My main concern was dust on the wheels being taken round the house then being sucked up/blown out again. Plus the time lapse between the work being done and finding out. Perhaps if I'd discovered it the day after I'd have been more inclined to wipe it up and forget about it.

I'm all for being pragmatic about risks, and what I (and my young family) have breathed in is what it is. I know the odds of us getting ill are small Just want to ensure things are as safe as possible from now on

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

The suspected AIB was painted so there were no tell tale signs before it was drilled; I had no suspicions until now

No pictures I'm afraid, I had only poked my head in and got it out as soon as I saw what had happened.

Well, by now, it will have spread the dust, all around your home, which will be very expensive, and upsetting to deal with, whilst in the meantime, you have been breathing it in - so it's rather too late anyway. Chances of you being affected, by such a tiny exposure, absolutely miniscule, not worthy of consideration at all....

Order a sampling pack, get it tested, is your first step. If you can, put your vac outside, with no filter, and just bring the pipe end into the house - so any disturbed asbestos, is blown straight out. Then have a good vac round where you spotted the dust. Finally, apply paint, varnish, or something to stabilise the sawn edge.

It can take many decades, before any signs show up, following exposure. Like many others on here, I was exposed to lots of asbestos, before anyone ever showed any concerns about asbestos, and like the vast majority, I have not suffered as a result of that exposure. You would need to be extremely, extremely unlucky, to suffer as a result of your tiny exposure, but there is good, quick, easy money to be had, by companies claiming to be able to rid your home of it.

I've found it in commercial buildings (banks), reported it, which cost a fortune to remove. For example - A 2 foot square piece of asbestos, onto which an electric meter was fixed. I reported it, which triggered a massive, expensive over reaction to the risk. The large, city centre bank was closed for three days, the entire area, plus a corridor plastic sheeted, out to a back door. A plastic tent outdoors, leading to an asbestos skip. Lots of guys in white coveralls, with breathing apparatus, electric supplier likewise to isolate power to meter.

 

[Notch7]

Artex did contain some chrysotile asbestos upto 3%
it was used up to 1984

hole has a couple of strands poking backwards where the hole broke out.

I doubt whether you would be able to see the strands of chrysotile they are around length shorter than 2 μm and a diameter less than 0.2 μm

 

[RCr]

...but there is good, quick, easy money to be had, by companies claiming to be able to rid your home of it...

That is my opposite concern. I'm getting a sample taken and will go from there.

Artex did contain some chrysotile asbestos upto 3%
it was used up to 1984


I doubt whether you would be able to see the strands of chrysotile they are around length shorter than 2 μm and a diameter less than 0.2 μm

If it was just artex that got drilled I'd have not posted this thread. As AIB is softer/higher asbestos content it is more worrying.

What I could see looked almost like a fine brown glass fibre but the colour of the board has made me suspicious

Thanks all for the replies.